Topic: Arcade SHMUP High Score Thread

@GrailUK
I really don't know. it might depend on what plane you use or something like that.
Then again, my first 4-5 games, I switched around from one plane to the next and get the exact same level layout every time, so there goes that theory.
Afterwards, levels kept being scrambled. So it might indeed be completely random, well besides level 3. Oh and 1, I think?

It could even be depending on something you do or do not trigger in level 1, but that's just pure theory on my end.

Oh wow the new challenge started already?
Sonic Wings/AF 2 then?

watches scores'WHAAAAAAAT?! Half a million???!!!

Is there no specific thread for this challenge 's scores?

@meppi64 Well, I experimented some. I'm sticking with the F-14. Especially since I completely fluked a well timed smart bomb in USA destroying the buildings and grabbed both those parallel 10ks! So it isn't necessary to stop time lol! But Paris is really bugging me. AM I missing something. On a good run these are my ballpark scores per level.
Japan - 110k
Rainforest - 145k
Bonus - 130k
USA - 125k
Paris - 40k!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it is really starting to get on my wick lol.

Ok, sat down with the game in docked mode for the first time and had a first decent run 382700.
I'm going to order the Mayflash adapter, I really can't compete without using my arcade sticks I'm too used to them and my hands hurt too much otherwise (I suffer badly from Reynaud Syndrome -_- ).
I still super enjoy participating even tho I can't fight for first place (and that would be the case even if I had perfectly normal hands lol) it's still awesome to improve and battling it out with the other guys

Hey, for anyone interested, I've started up a discord sever for those interested in getting into direct conversation with one another over these chases. The links below. Discord will allow us to voice-chat during practices, discuss strategies directly, and share video/snapshots without having to upload to a secondary server.

https://discord.gg/QZBEHSc

@GrailUK Paris as 2nd stage is auto-restart for me... I tried many times but as you pointed out there's no way to squeeze out a decent score. I've read somewhere that if you restart the game chances are you will get a different progression... Didn't try myself tho. Gonna rest a little bit this Saturday, I'll get back to the "danger zone" tomorrow

BTW 110k in Japan is a great score, I think I reached 100k max on a good run! what's your avg time at the start of level 2?

Ok. Maybe we start with 3rd from the bottom of the boards gets to pick the next game? The number is arbitrary but we can make adjustments based on how well things go @meppi64

Guys, I'm wasting every run I make when Paris@night comes up because I can't seem to score over 48k on it! Any tips?
Rainforest I'm usually around 120/130k, same for the US when I don't screw up the first two buildings' bonuses. While the oil refinery stage its highly variable.
Bonus stage I usually score a perfect (every ships/power up), so I think that's the top score available right (can vary depending on what power up state you enter the stage with)? Or there's some hidden stuff there too?

@RetroGamerAndrew 3:36ish. But it is getting frustrating as all I'm getting is Paris so I can't make any progress until the stars align! One trick people may miss with Kyoto tower is you don't actually destroy it, it falls of the building itself. If you smart bomb it (while shooting it) you'll get some points and a power up! Now, as maximum power up has limited shots, you can turn that P into 2k if you hold off collecting the power ups from shooting towers just before it, so by the time you killed it, you are still at maximum. (Hope that made sense! I only twigged that because I tried not shooting all level in case there was a bonus lol!)

@DashKappei Best tip for Paris is reset like it's a nervous twitch. It's a waste of time. That half mil score looked daunting yesterday, now it's only out of reach because of the stupid level select.

I actually find if kinda weird that for a Caravan mode it doesn't lock the system down to a set of levels instead of keeping it random like in the regular game.
Then again, it's probably a mode where they didn't think many people would really concentrate on beyond a couple of plays.

@GrailUK that is absurd I've been playing for 40 minutes and all I'm getting is that stupid level so I haven't even had a chance to improve my score, I've selected EVERY ship and it didn't make a difference, still Paris.
It's infuriating because I'm here, hogging the TV in docked mode and I can't even TRY to better my score even if I'm playing much much better than when I scored 380K after only a few tries with the game...

I'm gonna look on the internet if there are known tricks to trigger such and such level, because it's not possible that every game today I've gotten freakin' Paris!

@DashKappei It's not much consolation, but same here. Paris all day! I gave up for the day lol.

@GrailUK

I cracked it. And it's awful because in Caravan Mode the game seems to act as Sonic Wings 2 regardless of its title screen. Here's why we're going Paris:

"One of the main differences between Sonic Wings 2 and Aero Fighters 2 is that the japanese version has a "Random Next Stage" feature which works depending on how much points do you get in the level. For example, getting 90,000 in Stage 1 can take you to either France or New York as the next level, if you get a low score, then the game will send you to the Amazon Jungle. In the english version, the game sends you to the Amazon Jungle regardless of how much score do you have, resulting in the following linear stage sequence: Tokyo > Amazon Jungle > Bonus Stage 1 > New York > Paris > Bonus Stage 2 > Australia > Mexico > Hawaii > Another Dimension"

😭

EDIT:

this info doesn't seem correct at all to me
I've scored on purpose 80k/70k and 60k multiple times and still got sent to Paris every time.
I wanna try losing lives on purpose now.

So there are indeed triggers in place!

I knew the Caravan mode acted differently from the main game since I always play the Japanese versions and put rapid fire on in the control settings for the regular Japanese game, yet when I entered the Caravan mode, that setting doesn't stick. The button config does, but not the rapid fire setting.
Quite strange how this is put together.

@meppi64
Rapid Fire mode is OFF for every ACA release in Hi-Score and Caravan modes.

@DashKappei ugh didn't know that... Makes sense tho. Then maybe we should keep our score low on first stage just to get jungle in level 2.

@DashKappei mmmmh ok, I saw you last answer too late, did you try restarting the game (not the run)?

@DashKappei
Ah, I had no idea.
I normally don't play with it on, but I wanted to put it on since my wrist starts acting up from all the button mashing on the arcade stick.

Yeah I tried.